Rickmers-Linie adds heavy lift multi-purpose vessel to fleet

Rickmers-Linie is chartering the 19,100 dwt Pacific Winter, a sister ship of Baltic Winter, originally chartered in by Rickmers in December 2011.

Rickmers will also extend the existing charter on the 2011-built Baltic Winter. Both she and her 2012-built sister will be given Rickmers names: Pacific Winter will become Rickmers Chennai while Baltic Winter will be renamed Rickmers Dubai. They will also feature the Rickmers-Linie logo on their hull and Rickmers funnel colors.

Compared to the 30,000 dwt vessels used on the Round-The-World Pearl String Service, these two ships are smaller, giving them considerable flexibility because they can call at ports where depth of water, turning circles and berth lengths may be more restricted.

Furthermore they have the greatest lift capability of any ship in the Rickmers fleet. Two 400-tonne cranes that can be twinned to lift 800 tonnes are complemented by a 120-tonne crane further forward.

These features will be invaluable on the Europe to Middle East/India Service, according to Ulrich Ulrichs, Rickmers-Linie’s Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director. “With heavy out-of-gauge cargo, you need to get the cargo as close as possible to the ultimate destination as overland transportation is expensive and complicated. These vessels enable us to offer an increased choice in ports to our customers,” Ulrichs said.

Rickmers Chennai will begin her maiden voyage for Rickmers in Singapore in mid-April when she commences a voyage to Europe via India and the Middle East. Rickmers-Linie said calls at any port en route can be considered.